One of the marks of a good team is — can it win a game when it makes enough mistakes to lose it? Playing before a crowd of 5,229 at the Siegel Center on Wednesday night the VCU Rams passed that test, outlasting the Rhode Island Rams in an intense game that went down to the wire: VCU 82, URI 80.

VCU’s junior center/forward Larry Sanders led all scorers with 19 points, on eight-for-10 shooting from the field. Sanders also grabbed 11 rebounds, dished for two nice assists and blocked a couple of shots.

Throughout the game Rhode Island managed to get good looks at the basket. The well-coached visitors shot 52.5 percent from the field. They also won the battle of the boards, 36 to 22. They forced VCU into 21 turnovers. In the last minute of play VCU missed the front end of three one-and-one opportunities at the charity stripe.

In return, the home team shot 58 percent and forced the visitors into 23 turnovers.

So what was the difference on the stat sheet?

Treys. Rhode Island connected on just one of its seven three-point shots. VCU went seven-for-18 from beyond the arc.

In the second half Shaka Smart, VCU’s head coach, used a zone defense for the first time this season. It was effective.

“The zone saved us,” said Smart, who praised his team’s “grit and toughness.”

Sanders had help on offense. Junior guard Brandon Rozzell scored a career-high 17 points, coming off the bench; sophomore forward Bradford Burgess added 16 points.

“There’s a lot we can learn from the end of that game, but three big ones,” Smart said. “First we have to take care of the ball. Second, we have to make our free throws and third, we have to be better on the defensive end.”

Seven-footer Will Martell paced the URI offense with 18 points. His teammate Keith Cothran added 16 points. URI (4-1) is a member of the Atlantic 10.

In this young season URI has followed highly touted Oklahoma and Nevada in learning how tough it is to beat VCU on its home court. In its 11th season at the Siegel Center VCU has posted a 125-22 record.

The dramatic game was played in front of Eric Maynor, VCU’s all-time leading scorer, who sat along press row. Maynor now suits up for the Utah Jazz.

Click here to see the box score.

VCU (5-1) will travel to Williamsburg on Saturday to open its CAA league play against William & Mary (5-2). The 12 p.m. contest will be televised on Comcast SportsNet.

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